This invention relates to a mobile combined sewer cleaning and vacuum machine. More particularly, this invention relates to a mobile machine which is capable of flushing sewers, catch basins or the like and then vacuuming the debris flushed from the sewer.
Both mobile sewer cleaning machines which carry hoses to flush sewers and mobile vacuum machines which draw debris into a collection box are known in the art. When used to clean a sewer, catch basin or the like, usually the sewer cleaning machine is first used to flush the sewer and then the vacuum machine, as a follow-up unit, arrives to dispose of the debris flushed from the sewer by the sewer cleaning machine. This practice results in a vast duplication of machinery and manpower and is thus economically unsatisfactory.
Recently, attempts have been made to combine the two machines in one vehicular unit. The result has been a monstrous unit in that a very large and heavy vehicle is required to carry the large collection box needed to reduce the vacuum and separate the debris from the air, and in that the separately mounted hose reel and vacuum collection conduit have both usually been awkwardly and inefficiently located at the front of the vehicle over the cab.
Both the combined unit and the separate units are fraught with additional problems. When the large debris collection box with vertical walls is used it is often difficult to provide total separation of the debris from the air flow, particularly in the case of light debris such as dry leaves or the like. While separation screens are often utilized for this purpose, they can become clogged and will need frequent cleaning. In one device a centrifugal separator is placed in the collection box and the incoming air entrained debris is directed first to the centrifugal separator with the debris, in theory, being deposited in the collection box and the air exhausted. This system not only adds significantly to the cost of the machine requiring numerous extra parts including the separator unit itself and its attendant ducts, baffles and the like, but it also wastes space in the collection box which could otherwise be used for debris.
Most often the debris is discharged from these collection boxes by tilting the box for discharge out of a rear door, much like a conventional dump truck. Such tilting requires a large hydraulic jack which is not an efficient discharge method. However, because of the configuration of the collection box, no other system for discharge has proved satisfactory.
Because the sewer or catch basin is usually flushed first with the hose and water supply carried by the unit, or because of dormant water in the sewer, the debris is often wet and a certain amount of liquid will collect in the debris collection box. Some collection boxes are provided with drains so that a hose may be connected to the drain and the water circulated back to the sewer during the vacuum operation. This amounts to an inefficient method of handling the liquid inasmuch as the same liquid may again be drawn into the collection box.
The prior art designs are further inadequate or inefficient in that they do not provide for complete maneuverability of the vacuum conduit at multiple locations around the vehicle; do not provide for conduit maneuverability once it is positioned within the sewer or catch basin; do not provide any means on the conduit to work in corners of catch basins; and do not provide any facile means of cleaning the collection box after debris has been discharged. Finally, most prior art disigns, because of their large collection boxes and adjunct items, such as centrifugal separators and the like, require hugh vehicles to power the same. In addition, power for the vacuum fan for debris collection and pump for flushing is usually derived from two separate engines or power take-offs from the engine of the vehicle--both systems adding to the cost and size of the unit.